Containers such as those for various food products, such as coffee, often comprise a sealed metal container. Traditionally, one would gain access to the contents of the container by using a can opener to remove the lid or top of the container. A separate plastic overcap has traditionally been attached to the container around the chime to cover the opening once the original lid or top had been removed. Conventionally, the overcap is a simple annular disc with a vertical skirt extending down and engaging a corresponding exterior surface of the chime of the container.
Recent developments in containers include replacing the traditional metal container top, which requires the use of a can opener to gain access to the contents within, with a flexible and/or peelable foil membrane which extends over the opening and allows a user to remove it by pulling back on a tab of the flexible or peelable membrane.
Further recent developments in containers include replacing a metal container with a plastic container, such as a container formed from polyethylene or polypropylene. These plastic containers typically include a peelable foil membrane over the opening as described above.
One recent overcap designed for engaging the top of a container is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,471 ('471). The '471 patent shows an overcap with an outer skirt which seals inwardly against the rim of the container. A flexible ring of the overcap has a leading edge which extends downwardly to engage a peripheral bead on the inside edge of a horizontal flange of the container. Movement of the leading edge past the bead results in a snap closure action which is accomplished by pressing on the center of the overcap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,610 discloses a flexible closure for the neck of a container in which an annular sealing member of the closure hingedly connects an inner portion thereof to the rest of closure. The sealing member includes a portion which extends radially outward from the inner portion to snugly engage an inside surface of the container neck.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0010787 discloses an overcap having a dome portion which can be used to accommodate pressure build-up in the container and subsequently to “burp” the container during use of the overcap, although the method of “burping” is not disclosed. The overcap seals along two lines of the container, namely along an inward extending flange of the container and, with its skirt, along an outer rim of the container.
There exists a need in the art for an improved overcap for use with a container of the type described.